[Mrs Snoodles]

Hi there
Can someone pls advise...?
Just getting a farrowing kit together and was wondering about iron shots for the piglets.
 I have left a barrow full of soil within the inside farrowing area and inside the creep/creche bit, but do I also need to inject my piglets with iron?   
The piglets will be on concrete for a couple of weeks. I am happy to transport a barrow daily or whatever is necessary, if this is sufficient.

Thanks

[HappyHippy]

If you're giving soil, some folk will tell you there's no need for iron - and it is completely up to you loads of pigs are born, raised and do really well without it 
But we do iron jab ours at 3 days old as well as giving earth.
I read something a while back (might have been in pig world magazine, I'm not sure) where they did a comparitive test in pre and post weaning weights on piglets born and reared outdoors - some with iron jabs and some without. This showed higher weight gains and lower mortality amongst the group which had the additional iron jab - although this was geared at the commercial sector with huge numbers of sows and piglets, it was enough to convince me that an £18 bottle was worth it 
HTH
Karen 

[rispainfarm]

We never used to iron jab our traditional breeds, but we will be doing the meishans. Both lots will and always had soil within a few days. I just want to be on the safe side with the meishans. We never lost a piglet to anemia.

[RaisinHall Tamworths]

We iron jab all ours, as Happy hippy says for the cost of it it's worth doing and it isn't too much hassle, just a bit of squealing and that's usually from daughter as she gets covered in marker spray by me 

[Beewyched]

Yep - me too 
Tho ... I must admit to not doing my OH's OSB litters - my OH was in hospital when they should've been done & I didn't really get on very well with the mums  - so they just got a couple of divits for the first fortnight, until they were creep feeding ok - though I think the mums got more of it than the piglets.
Didn't seem to do them any harm 

[robert waddell]

we have tried both ways not a bit off difference and we weight record 
you can get it cheaper than £18  but depends on size

[Mrs Snoodles]

Thanks all. Phew... I'd rather not inject simply from a safety point.  A bit worried about getting out of the farrowing area super quickly if they squeal and Mum isn't happy about it  . Our hurdles are high and I'm not errrrrr....let's say, overly agile  .     The parting words of that American pig farmer I met yesterday were.....'just remember, they are HER piglets, not yours. They squeal, get out, quick' 

I'll get digging tomorrow. make a nice big mound to tip in a bit everyday.